


Show him your heart.

by BarPurple



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt, Emotionally Repressed, F/M, Happy Ending, Kissing, Post Season 4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-11
Updated: 2015-08-11
Packaged: 2018-04-14 04:55:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4551315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She'd slayed a dragon, faced an ogre, and survived being the Dark One. </p><p>Why was she having so much trouble saying three little words.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Show him your heart.

Letting anyone in had always been hard. Emma had been behind her walls so long that it was a habit that was harder to break than smoking. Her walls made her safe, but now they were causing problems, maybe even more problems than they were worth. Plenty of her walls had crumbled and fallen, but there was one stubborn buttress that needed to go and all it would take was three little words.

The first time she’d be unable to say those three little words was after Henry got them out of Isaac’s book. The relief of finding Hook alive and well after she’d seen the evil, eye-linered version of her father run him through had almost been enough to let her say them. When she'd chickened out the disappointment in Hook’s eyes tore at her heart.

Of course she had said them not long after. It was easy to say them aloud when you were sure this was your very last chance, with what was probably your last breath. There’d been a look of pain in Killian’s eyes that had nothing to do with the heroic sacrifice she was making by becoming the new Dark One. Yes, he was heartbroken that she was throwing herself into the abyss to save the town, but a few of those cracks in his heart were caused by the fact she could only say those three words when she thought she was dying.

Defeating the Darkness and removing Emma’s name from the Blade without killing her or condemning anyone new to life as the Dark One had been an adventure, a quest, or a bloody nightmare depending on who you asked. The thing is it was done and Emma was as she was, which unfortunately meant she was back to having difficulty saying those three little words to Killian. 

She’d tried…

Music and laughter surrounded them at the party to celebrate the defeat of the Darkness. The Merry Men had taken over the duke box and had people dancing. Killian spun Emma around the impromptu dancefloor with ease and grace. As he pulled her into his arms after a very dramatic dip she breathlessly said;

“I need you Killian.”

He smiled and brushed a gentle kiss on her cheek. There was still that note of sadness in his voice as he said;

“I know Swan.”

… and tried…

The loft glittered and gleamed with the sheer amount of tinsel and baubles festooned around the place. Snow had wanted to go all out for Christmas and that meant a serious decorating operation. Balanced on top of the ladder that Killian was holding Emma stretched to put the twinkling star on top of the huge fir tree. She turned to ask how it looked, but stopped when she saw Hook grinning happily up at her.

“I need you Killian.”

His grin faltered for a second before he gave her a lascivious leer and wink.

“I need you too, love, but your parents are in the room.”

… and tried…

It had taken what felt like hours to herd the giant squid back into the portal Ariel had opened for them. The Jolly Roger was going to need twice as long to get her back into sea worthy shipshape. Killian was leaning against the rail panting. He was drenched and dripping squid ink on to the deck. Emma knew she must look as bedraggled and was looking forward to a very long shower to get the fish stink out of her hair. Killian caught her eye and laughed out loud at the state of them both.

“I can’t imagine my life without Hook.”

“Bloody good job I’m a survivor Swan.”

The exhilaration of their victory masked the sadness, but not enough that Emma didn’t catch it.

 

A week after the squid incident Storybrooke was calm, peaceful and serene for once. Emma and Hook had taken the chance for a stroll through the woods and as they rested at the wishing well she suddenly knew how to tell him how she felt.  
“Killian. Look at me.”

He turned to face her with a puzzled frown creasing his brow. She held her hand up to stop him before he could ask what the matter was. Taking a deep breath Emma said;

“I’ve had walls up for so long to protect myself from the world. Now they’ve become a prison and I’m scared that if I don’t break out and break them down then I’m going to lose one of the best people in my life. I don’t want to lose you Killian.”

Again he tried to speak, but Emma put her finger to his lips. With her other hand she reached into her chest and gasped as she pulled out her heart. Killian’s eyes were wide as she placed it in his hand.

“I might not be able to say those three little words, but right now, at this very moment my heart is exactly where it belongs, in your hand beating for you.”

Killian cradled the precious core of his lover in his hand curling his hook around it as well as if to guard it from all the hurts the world could throw at it. When he looked up at Emma there was a tear rolling down his face.

“Put it back Emma, please.”

“It’s as safe in your hand as it is in my chest Killian. I trust you with my life and my heart.”

Killian closed the gap between them.

“As I trust you with mine Emma, but please put it back.”

Emma took his hand in her own and turned it gently so her heart what against her chest. She moved into him and caught his lips in a kiss. She sighed against his mouth as her heart slid back into her chest. Their kiss became more passionate and intense, but Emma pulled away just enough to whisper against Killian’s lips;

“I love you.”


End file.
